This invention relates generally to flat panel displays.
An example of a flat panel display is an emissive display such as an organic light emitting device display. Other flat panel displays include liquid crystal displays, liquid crystal on silicon displays, plasma displays, and micromirror displays.
Generally, some types of flat panel displays may include row electrodes and transversely arranged column electrodes. A light emitting material or light modulating material may be contained between the row and column electrodes. In one configuration, each pixel consists of tricolor sub-pixels such as red, green, and blue sub-pixels.
Ideally, the pixels of the display should be packed as close together as possible to improve the fill factor of the display. Generally, the more closely packed are the individual sub-pixels and pixels, the higher the perceived brightness of the display.
However, in order to interconnect the various driving components to the various sub-pixels, and to provide the needed potentials to the row and column electrodes, interconnections may be necessary. These interconnections may be arranged in a way which decreases the fill factor of the display. This may be because the display may need to be arranged in a way that the interconnections are arranged between pixels or sub-pixels. The room taken by these interconnections decreases the space available for digits producing pixels.
Of course, the interconnections can also be made around the periphery of the overall display. However, this has many disadvantages, including the fact that the available edge space may be limited in some cases. In addition, the edge regions may be subject to disruption from impact or the use of sealing materials to interface the display with one or more additional displays or other elements. Making electrical connection to rows and columns at the periphery of the display is inefficient, as the electric current needed to activate the pixel must travel through a long, resistive path of electrodes before and after it passes through the (active) pixel.
Thus, there is a need for ways to improve the fill factor of flat panel displays.